1. Field of the Invention
The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to linking together devices in an IP connected system; and more specifically related to linking together self-configuring IP addressable devices utilizing two Ethernet protocol IP ports.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many IT and networking centers are experiencing higher load densities as more and more equipment is packed into cabinets and racks. As this occurs, there becomes and increasing need to monitor and manage the power supplied to each and all of these loads.
IT and Facility Managers have the basic need reliably and efficiently to distribute power in the rack or cabinet to the equipment. Depending on application and requirements, these users have some differences with respect to the functionality and connectivity of their devices. In general, these needs are classified by the capabilities of the physical device, its functional behavior, its network infrastructure and its software management models. Furthermore, these market needs are addressed by certain expected product requirements.
One prior art solution has been to link devices, such as power distributing devices, including, but to limited to power strips, that are desired to be monitored and controlled, to an Internet protocol (IP)-based system that allows a user to monitor and control the devices from a computer. Such IP-based systems typically require configuration to allow multiple devices to operate cooperatively on an IP network. In an exemplary prior art solution, each successively added device is given a new IP connection to an external connection manager. One such prior art example is the MP Advanced power strips with OpenComms EM PDU as sold by Liebert Corporation. Another prior art example is the MP Advanced power strips with the Ethernet-based MP Advanced Access Server. Both products are available from Liebert Corporation.
While each of these products has been successful and provides more than adequate monitoring and control, it can sometimes be difficult to add devices to the preexisting system. For example, power strips are often mounted inside a cabinet, behind the racked equipment. Once the equipment is connected to the rack and the power strip is connect to the monitoring server (such as the MP Advanced Access Server), the cabinet and equipment are ready for use. In order to add an additional power strip to meet the additional power demands of additional equipment, the pre-existing equipment usually must be removed to add the new power strip and to connect the strip directly to the server.
An additional improvement needed upon the prior art is the ability to recognize the connectivity relationship between various devices. In the prior art, generally, a device, such as a power strip, is plugged into a server network hub or switch. Once the device has been plugged in, it is given a specific IP address. As additional devices are added, each device must be connected to the same server network hub or switch. Each additional device is given its own specific IP address. This requires assigning and reassigning IP addresses as devices are added. This results in an inability to easily recognize where each strip is connected, how it is configured, and what specific equipment is controlled.
Some other prior art products do not use the Ethernet protocol. Instead, they use other types of connectivity. For example, some utilize a concentrator in which devices are plugged into multiple telephone type jacks. The central concentrator is given one IP address, and, therefore, it is not known where each device is or how it is configured. Thus, there is a need to accurately determine the location of each device added to an IP network and their relationship to each other.
There are numerous advantages to being able to control and monitor the power to all loads (devices attached to a power strip). In particular, monitoring and controlling power to certain loads is advantageous to IT and network managers who are experiencing high electrical power densities and looking for a way to monitor and manage loads at the power strip and receptacle level in the data center or network closet. This ability is also advantageous to facility managers who want to control panel board utilization and protect against inadvertent overloading.
The invention disclosed and taught herein is directed to an improved system for controlling and monitoring interconnected devices, specifically using self-configuring IP addressable devices utilizing two Ethernet protocol IP ports. By utilizing a lower level input and output port, the network is self-determining and the nodes become aware that they are physically connected together and form an affinity to each other. This allows IP based products to understand how they are physically wired, such as, for example, within a Local Area Network (LAN).